Cell phone based MEMS fourier transform infrared (FTIR) gas sensors

• US 8,086,266 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Block Engineering, LLC
• Original Assignee: Block Engineering, LLC
• Inventors: Kotidis, Petros
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US12/350,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20090227287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/90.3, 455/90.1, 455/66.1
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0264 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0272 Handheld
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3595 using FTIR
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/031 Multipass arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals

Abstract

A cell-phone based chemical sensor and communication/data management system has cell phones that are each provided with an integrated sensor (sensor enabled cell phone). Each cell phone comprises an infrared spectrometer for spectrally analyzing the ambient environment and a communication portion for communicating with the cellular phone network and transmitting data from the infrared spectrometer over the cellular network. These cell phones are linked to each other and a central server via the routing nodes of the cellular phone network.

Claims

1. A cell phone network, comprising:

cell phones;

a server; and

network routing nodes for routing information between the cell phones and the server,

one or more of the cell phones being sensor enabled cell phones that each include an infrared spectrometer sensor for spectrally analyzing gases in an ambient environment about the sensor enabled cell phone, and

a communication portion for communicating with the cell phone network and transmitting data collected from the infrared spectrometer over the cell phone network each said infrared spectrometer sensor comprising;

a microelectromechanical MEMS based Fourier transform infrared chip;

an air intake allowing ambient air to enter the gas cell; and

a gas cell with mirrors to provide a multiple pass light beam.

2. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the infrared spectrometer sensor further comprises a disposable liquid sampling accessory serving as a mechanical and optical interface for liquid samples.

3. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the infrared spectrometer sensor further comprises a disposable solid sampling accessory serving as a mechanical and optical interface for solid samples.

4. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a pre-concentrator that is located within a gas cell to increase sensitivity of gas identification.

5. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein said infrared spectrometer sensor is completely enclosed within a casing of the sensor enabled cell phone.

6. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the server employs data fusion and management within the cell phone network.

7. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the air intake allows ambient air to enter the gas cell that operates within a casing of the sensor enabled cell phone without a cable or collection head attached to or external to the sensor enabled cell phone.

8. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the server or network routing nodes employ periodic polling of said sensor enabled cell phones in the cell phone network and provide low level information transfer along registration request channels.

9. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein date and time of data collection is provided along with location information from cell phone tower triangulation or global positioning systems.

10. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein a warning to a user to operate in activated mode is transmitted in broadcast mode over the cell phone network in response to a predetermined condition.

11. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the infrared spectrometer sensor further detects volatile organic biomarkers associated with exposure to or infection from bioweapons.

12. The cell phone network of claim 1 further comprising a radiological sensor within a casing of the sensor enabled cell phones.

13. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the spectrometer includes a Michelson interferometer with arms integrated on a common micro-optical MEMS optical bench using surface micromachine technology.

14. The cell phone network of claim 1 wherein the network routing nodes analyze statistical trends of said data collected from the infrared spectrometer to minimize mis-detection probabilities.

15. A cell phone comprising:

a housing;

a communications section within said housing for communications on a cell phone network; and

a pen-sized cylindrical infrared spectrometer within said housing comprising a microelectromechanical MEMS based Fourier Transform Infrared FTIR chip, a gas cell with mirrors to provide a multiple pass light beam, a pre-concentrator to increase sensitivity of gas identification, and a screened air intake allowing ambient air to enter the gas cell,

wherein said gas spectrometer identifies gases resident in the ambient air within the gas cell and said communications section transmits said gas identifying information on the cell network.